Military Car Shipping Overseas

How Military Car Ship Overseas?

For members of the military, the government will ship one privately owned vehicle (POV) at their expense for overseas PCS orders, but there are many limitations to the program. The authorizing officer will determine if your POV is necessary or helpful to perform your duties, which is how this is most commonly evaluated.

If you’re shipping a POV for an OCONUS tour, your vehicle must be delivered while you have at least one year remaining at the overseas duty station to qualify for government-paid transport. (This timeframe does vary slightly for different branches of the military, so be sure to check on the specific details and limitations of overseas vehicle relocation if you have any questions.)

Insurance, taxes and licensing prices can be different from country to country and it’s especially important for members of the armed forces to understand this when shipping a POV overseas. Auto insurance is often more expensive internationally, so it’s helpful to get an idea of what the cost will be ahead of time and plan accordingly. You may want to contact your current auto insurance carrier to see if they offer any sort of international coverage.

Important note: you are responsible for taxes, insurance and licensing fees, regardless of whether the DoD pays for your POV to be delivered overseas. You should also familiarize yourself with overseas cost of living allowances (COLA) index and overseas housing allowances (OHA).

If you’d like a FREE, all-inclusive price estimate for shipping your POV overseas, use the short request form to the right or call us at the number at the top of the page with your questions! No payment or obligation required!

Preparations For OCONUS PCS Orders & POV Transport

There are a few things you can do in preparation for transporting a vehicle outside of the U.S. The first is to understand are the limitations for sponsored overseas auto shipping. The timeframe and tour length mentioned above are both factors, but so is the type of vehicle. Most typical family cars are fine to ship, but a large truck, van, SUV or recreational vehicle would most likely not be approved. Similarly, modified or customized vehicles will not be shipped at government expense, which includes any type of nonstandard impermanent components of the vehicle.

Generally speaking, household items and personal belongings may not be shipped overseas in your POV. For more information about moving your POV, personal items or household goods, the DPS Portal has some terrific resources, including this map of military Transportation Office locations within the U.S.

Have questions about shipping your POV overseas? Call us today at the number at the top of the page and we’ll be happy to answer you questions for FREE! You can get an estimate at no charge, either over the phone or by completing to short request form in the sidebar!

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